Adjustable carrier

Abstract

An adjustable carrier for a sterilisation system having a platform configured to provide support for products to be sterilised. The adjustable carrier includes an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a length of the platform in an intended direction of travel of the carrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable carrier for a sterilisation system, the adjustable carrier comprising a platform configured to provide support for products to be sterilised and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a length of the platform in an intended direction of travel of the carrier. 
     
     
         2 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is manually adjustable. 
     
     
         3 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism further comprises a drive interface for powered adjustment of the carrier. 
     
     
         4 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a plurality of detents at predetermined spacing. 
     
     
         5 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 1 , further comprising walls extending substantially vertically from the edges of the platform. 
     
     
         6 . An adjustable carrier according  claim 1 , wherein the platform comprises a front and a rear section. 
     
     
         7 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 6 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is arranged to move the front and rear sections by equal amounts with respect to a centre of the carrier. 
     
     
         8 . An adjustable carrier according  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is configured to travel on a conveyance arrangement of a sterilisation system. 
     
     
         9 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 8 , further comprising drive formations to engage a drive of the conveyance arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 9 , wherein the carrier is configured to be supported from underneath. 
     
     
         11 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of mounting arrangements to enable to the carrier to be suspended from the conveyance arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a mechanism for converting a rotary input into a linear adjustment of the adjustable carrier. 
     
     
         13 . An adjustable carrier according to  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a worm drive. 
     
     
         14 . A conveyance arrangement for a sterilisation system comprising a plurality of adjustable carriers according to any preceding claim, the arrangement comprising, a loading station for loading the products to be sterilised onto the carriers; a sterilisation station remote from the loading station for the products to be sterilised; an unloading station for removing the products from the carriers; and a conveyor for transferring carriers between the loading station, the sterilisation station and the unloading station. 
     
     
         15 . A conveyance arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor is configured to travel at a predetermined speed along the sterilisation station relating to the product to be sterilised. 
     
     
         16 . A conveyance arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor is a continuous loop. 
     
     
         17 . A conveyance arrangement according to  claim 14 , further comprising a length adjustment station. 
     
     
         18 . A conveyance arrangement according to  claim 17 , further comprising a control system configured to set the length of the adjustable carrier at the length adjustment station. 
     
     
         19 . A conveyance arrangement according to  claim 14 , further comprising a control system to control the conveyance arrangement to ensure appropriate spacing between carriers. 
     
     
         20 . A method of adjusting an adjustable carrier for a sterilisation system, comprising the steps of:
 a) determining the length of the product to be placed thereon;   b) determining the adjustment required to minimise the empty area of the adjustable carrier; and   c) adjusting the length of the carrier to substantially match the length of the product to be sterilised.